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Our Story

History

The Nyárády Family has been making wine since the early 1820’s in the north- western portion of Transylvania. In 1948, the once beautiful 40 acre estate was seized by the communist Romanian government and destroyed. Today, the youngest generation of the Nyárády family has made the United States his home and resurrected this almost 2 century old family tradition in collaboration with a third generation California winemaker, Bill Ballentine.

Efforts are currently underway to reclaim the original property in Transylvania.

About the Winemakers

Meet Bill Balentine winemaker of Trifecta Caberent Sauvignon.

Bill Ballentine was born in the Napa Valley and is the 4th generation of winemakers in his family. Living among the vines, growing grapes, and making superb wines were inherent values passed to him by his father and grandfathers.

After becoming Winemaker for St. Clement Vineyards in St. Helena, he was able to enhance his Cabernet harvesting and blending techniques. The 1997, the St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon he blended, went on to become ranked #30 in Wine Spectator’s Best 100 Wines In The World’.

Built in 1876, the historic three story ghost winery was one of the first stone cellars in St. Helena. In 2002, Bill and his wife Jane purchased and renovated the winery, where they now live and blend their own wine “William Cole”.

Meet Sam Baxter, winemaker of Trifecta Pinot Noir.

Sam Baxter literally grew up in the grapevines, trailing his father Phil whose wine making made a legendary mark in the late '60's when Napa Valley first experienced international notoriety as a respected winegrowing region.

After graduating from University of California Davis with a dregree in fermentation science in 1998, Sam extended his experience with a pivital internship position at Sterling Vineyards and stints abroad in Australia. Working under these off the grid-conditions went a long way in building Baxter's strong winemaking foundation. Sam lives with his wife and children in St. Helena.